Toy tops



March 26, 1963 W. F HELLMAN TOY TOPS Filed April 25, 1960 INVENTOR. Ma BY. 7 7 V8 W United States Patent 3,082,574 TOY TOPS Werner F. Hellman, Chicago, Ill. Filed Apr. 25, 1960, Ser. No. 24,579 4 Claims. (Cl. 46243) This invention relates to improvements in toy tops.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a toy top which is electrically operated to cause it to spin.

Another object of this invention is to provide a toy top which is caused to spin by means of an electrically operated motor and a connecting cable and wherein the direction and movement of the spinning top may be guided, manipulated and controlled by the child.

Another object of this invention is to provide a toy top, which is electrically operated and which is highly maneuverable and provides great play value for the child.

Other objects will become apparent as this description progresses.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of my invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view partly in cross-section showing the battery housing, motor, and a portion of the flexible cable.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the top.

FIGURE 4 is a view partly in cross-section, showing the upper portion of the top and the means wherein the cable is detachably connected to the top, and

FIGURE 5 is a view partly in section showing a modified form of the top.

The elongated battery housing is designated by the numeral and same is adapted to contain a pair of conventional dry cell batteries 12. The housing supports the conventional push button switch member 14 which connects with a suitable conductor 16 in turn connected to a motor presently to be described.

The upper end of the battery housing is threaded as at 18 to receive a threaded collar 20 which has an inwardly extending flange 22 and an enlarged central opening 24.

A conically shaped cap member generally designated by the numeral 26 has a hollow interior and is provided at the lower end thereof with an outwardly extending annular flange 28 which is engaged by the top of the collar 20 to detachably secure the cap to the housing 10, as best seen in FIGURE 2. The upper end of the conically shaped cap 26 is truncated and is provided with a central opening 30.

Mounted within the cap 26 is a small electric motor 32 which is secured in a fixed position within said cap. S..- cured to the motor shaft of the motor 32 is a flexible cable designated by the numeral 34 which extends outwardly through the opening 30 and is of suflicient length so that a child may operate the top a. suflicient distance from the battery housing 10 which forms the handle portion of the toy.

Also secured within the opening 30 in the cap 26 is a coiled wire member 36 surrounding the flexible cable but spaced therefrom. Said coiled wire member serves to support the flexible cable 34 adjacent the cap and also serves to guide the cable from the motor end so as not to interfere with the rotation of said flexible cable.

The motor 32 is also connected to the positive pole of the top battery 12 to complete the circuit. By depressing or actuating the finger switch 14 the circuit to the motor is closed so that the motor 32 is caused to operate and rotate the flexible cable 34. The batteries may be replaced by unthreading the collar 20 so that the interior of the housing'lt) is accessible.

The opposite end of the flexible cable 34 has secured to it a rubber member or plug designated by the numeral 38.

The spinning top may take any form or shape desired, provided that it has the means whereby it may be attached to the plug 38 of the flexible cable 34. In the exemplification shown, the top 40 is of generally hollow construction and has a conventional bearing point 42 at the bottom thereof. It is also provided with a plurality of spaced openings 44 so that a whistling sound may be produced as the top is spinning. The upper end 46 of the top has a dome-shaped configuration and is integrally formed with the hollow body of the top. The upper end of the dome-shaped portion of the top has an opening 48 and a depending tubular-shaped section 50 extending into the upper end 46 of the top. The rubber member or plug 38 is inserted into the tubular section 50 and forms a friction tight fit therewith so that as the flexible cable 34 rotates it will rotate the top 40. The plug 38 is, however, removable and hence the top is detachably secured with respect to the cable.

The top during its spinning or rotation may be controlled or manipulated by the movement of the hand held battery casing 10 and the flexible cable 34 connected thereto so as to cause the top 40 to move from one spinning surface to another without interfering with the spinning of the top. Thus the spinning of the top and the direction of travel of the top while spinning may be controlled. The spinning of the top may be arrested merely by opening the circuit from the battery to the motor, such as by operating the hand switch 14.

FIGURE 5 shows a modified form of top 52 which has particular application to this invention in that it may be caused to jump or hop around as it is rotating. Instead of providing the lower end of the top with a point or bearing surface such as 42, as is conventional with tops, I have provided a coiled spring 53 secured to the lower end of the body inside a tubular-shaped section 54. The upper end of the top is provided with a tubular-shaped section 56 similar to section 50 to receive the rubber plug 38 heretofore described. As the top shown in FIGURE 5 spins on the coil spring 53, it will jump or hop about its spinning surface.

Due to the detachable feature of the cable with respect to the top, any number of different types of tops may be interchangeably used and operated by this construction. Thus a varied number of different styles and types of tops may be driven by the cable means shown herein.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made from the foregoing without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A toy of the character described comprising a self contained and self-operated unit comprising a portable housing, a battery and a motor secured within said housing, said housing adapted to be held in the hand, a flexible cable having one end secured to the motor inside said housing and having the opposite end extending exteriorly of said housing, a top secured to said opposite end of said flexible cable, said motor when actuated rotating said cable and said cable rotating said top to spin said top, said rotating cable adapted to guide the movement of said spinning top.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the flexible cable is detachably secured to the top.

3. A toy comprising a self-contained and self-operated unit comprising a hand held portable casing, a dry cell battery and electric motor supported within said casing, a flexible cable secured to said motor and rotated thereby, a top having its upper end secured to the opposite end a of said cable to be rotated by the rotation of said cable to spin said top.

4. The structure defined in claim 3 in which the top has a coil-shaped member on which the top is adapted to spin, said coil-shaped member causing said top to bounce during its spinning operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany Feb. 20, 1958 

1. A TOY OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING A SELFCONTAINED AND SELF-OPERATED UNIT COMPRISING A PORTABLE HOUSING, A BATTERY AND A MOTOR SECURED WITHIN SAID HOUSING, SAID HOUSING ADAPTED TO BE HELD IN THE HAND, A FLEXIBLE CABLE HAVING ONE END SECURED TO THE MOTOR INSIDE SAID HOUSING AND HAVING THE OPPOSITE END EXTENDING EXTERIORLY OF SAID HOUSING, A TOP SECURED TO SAID OPPOSITE END OF SAID FLEXIBLE CABLE, SAID MOTOR WHEN ACTUATED ROTATING SAID CABLE AND SAID CABLE ROTATING SAID TOP TO SPIN SAID TOP, SAID ROTATING CABLE ADAPTED TO GUIDE THE MOVEMENT OF SAID SPINNING TOP. 